Among the most dominating right handers in Major League history and known as the “Ryan Express,” Nolan Ryan is baseball’s all-time strikeout king (5,714). He holds numerous records including seasons played (27), no hitters (7), and strikeouts in a season (383). During his storied career, Ryan recorded 324 wins for the Mets, Angels, Astros and Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1999 and was a member of MLB’s “All-Century Team.” Ryan played a key role for the 1969 New York Mets by recording a 2 1/3 inning save in Game 3 of the World Series. He is currently part owner and team president of the Texas Rangers.

Big Ed Walsh (Hall of Famers and Legends)

One of the top pitchers of the early 20th century, Big Ed Walsh is baseball’s all-time ERA leader (1.82). In 1908, he had one of the greatest seasons in history, winning 40 games and posting an ERA of 1.42. Born in Plains Township, PA, Walsh had four 20-win seasons, six sub-2.00 ERA seasons, and was a World Series champion with the Chicago White Sox in 1906. He owns the second-best WHIP (1.00) in Major League history, compiled a win–loss record of 195–126, and recorded 1,735 strikeouts primarily for the White Sox. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1946. A meteoric star of the “Dead Ball” era, Big Ed Walsh is the quintessential great but overlooked Irish American in the game of baseball.

3. John McGraw (Hall of Famers and Legends)

With his 2,763 managerial victories, John McGraw ranks second only to the legendary Connie Mack in Major League history. A dominant figure in early baseball, he led the New York Giants for 31 years, winning 10 pennants and three World Series. McGraw managed in both the first World Series and the inaugural All Star Game in 1933. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1947. John McGraw was also an exceptional player who hit .334 lifetime and stole 436 bases.

4. Gene Monahan/Steve Donohue (Trainers)

Long time New York Yankee trainers Gene Monahan and Steve Donohue have attended to numerous World Series teams. They were named MLB’s best trainers by the Professional Athletic Trainer Society in 2010. Monahan, who is proud of his Irish roots, is a throat cancer survivor and is one of three employees to span the entire length of George Steinbrenner’s ownership. Earlier this year, he announced his retirement at the end of the 2011 baseball season. Donohue, whose ancestors hailed from Cork and Wexford, has been part of Yankees’ training staff since 1986.

5. Terry Cashman (Entertainers)

Terry Cashman is best known for his hit song Talkin’ Baseball, which was inspired by a photograph he saw of 1950s icons Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider. The song struck a chord with fans during the 1981 baseball strike and has grown in popularity ever since. Over the years, Cashman has revised the lyrics of Talkin’ Baseball to accommodate every Major League team’s history. Now widely known as “The Balladeer of Baseball,” Cashman played for the Detroit Tiger organization during the early 1960s. Born Dennis Minogue in New York City, Terry Cashman’s Irish roots are in Co. Clare.

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